Oasis ticket scandal sparks legal change – Definitely Maybe?
I was invited to appear on Sky News today (21 October 2024) to talk about dynamic ticket pricing for music concerts and sports events.
Dynamic pricing maximum proposed in new Bill
In September Oasis fans were left angry at finding themselves in ticket queues for hours, only to discover the prices significantly increasing when they checked out. The 2025 UK and Ireland tour soon sold out, with some standard tickets more than doubling in price, from £148 to £355.
The final cost had risen due to so-called “dynamic pricing”, where prices go up in response to demand. Oasis said that they were unaware of this phenomenon, whilst Ticketmaster blamed the promoters for choosing the “dynamic pricing” option. But all the promoters have links with Ticketmaster, as can be seen in this discussion: Oasis ticket row: How Ticketmaster’s owner has grip on UK live music scene.
Background to new dynamic pricing law
Under a proposed new law, fans would be guaranteed to know the maximum ticket price at the beginning of the buying process. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) launched an investigation into the online agency Ticketmaster regarding its selling of Oasis concert tickets as to whether it broke consumer law. The call for evidence, a form of consultation, was opened on 5 September and closed on 19 September 2024.
Proposed Bill to cover dynamic pricing
The Sale of Tickets (Sporting and Cultural Events) Bill has been put forward in the House of Commons, having its first reading on 16 October.
Labour MP Dr Rupa Huq, sponsor of the Bill, said she wants the law “Changed to improve transparency on pricing and prevent fans being ripped off.”
Dr Huq, the MP for Ealing Central and Acton, said:
As a lifelong music fan, I, like many of the nation, was scandalised to see the recent situation where people were queuing up for the best part of a day to get Oasis tickets.
And the pressure is immense when you’re refreshing for six hours to find yourself then finally at the top of the queue, you feel you have to go for it, but by then the ticket is five times the price of what you thought it was when advertised.
From a consumer protection point of view, our constituents would like some certainty and so this Bill would enshrine in statute a maximum price.
It’s a sort of sale of goods thing, that the price you can see when you start the process is the price you pay.
It could be a maximum because dynamic ticket pricing could go down as well as up.”
She added:
There should be some certainty, some predictability, particularly as we’re in a cost-of-living crisis.
But even irrespective of that there needs to be some fairness in the process because it feels as if the consumer balance is wrong and the ticket merchants can literally double it, triple it, think of a number, infinity and beyond.”
Dr Huq has acknowledged the concern from industry bodies that something needs to be done.
Dynamic pricing will continue, because the Government sees that it can be beneficial in cases, for example, when it provides cheaper early bird tickets. However this Bill should at least introduce some transparency in the “dynamic pricing” sale process.
The Bill will have it second reading on 6 December and appears to have cross party support.
Further to this Ministers have also said that the Government will launch a consultation on the secondary ticket market in the autumn. All you need to know about secondary ticket selling.
Conclusion
Hopefully this Bill will find approval. There will probably be a suggested maximum price percentage. At least then when you next find yourself in a ticket queue online, you will know the highest price that you will be asked to pay.
